Choose the exact meaning of the underlined idiom/phrase.

He threw cold water over the project that the secretary had prepared.

A) Rejected
B) Encouraged
C) Cleared
D) Discouraged

Hint: The phrases are used to denote various feelings, situations, and others in the form of idioms, proverbs, and others. In this case, the phrase or the idiom, ‘threw cold water over’ means to spoil or reduce the excitement, craze, or motivation of someone.

Complete answer:

Keeping in mind the meaning of the given phrase as described in the hint, let us analyze each option one by one.

Option A is rejected. As described in the hint, the phrase does not mean to directly reject someone or something. And rejected means strictly denied or dismissed. Therefore, option A cannot be the correct answer.

Option B is encouraged. The word means to motivate someone. This is opposite in meaning to the given phrase or idiom. Therefore, option B cannot be the exact meaning of the underlined phrase in this question.

Cleared means to get clean chit or free from something. This word is nowhere related to the meaning that we have discussed in the hint. Therefore, option C is also not the meaning of the given phrase/idiom.

Option D is discouraged. This means to spoil the excitement or to demotivate a person from doing something. This is similar to the meaning discussed in the hint. Therefore, option D can be possibly the correct answer.

Thus option D is correct.

Note: Literal meaning of the words given in the phrase has the least importance when it is used as an idiom. Idioms have special meanings that require analytical thinking in order to understand and identify the correct answer.